1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to technologies for anonymous session tracking of wireless online service consumers and clients, such as tracking of service sessions of a vehicle in transit which is equipped with an in vehicle information system. This invention also relates to technologies for cost and revenue sharing by the various parties providing online services in order to offset or remove cost of service access to a customer.
2. Background of the Invention
Many vehicles and private individuals are now equipped with mobile access devices for obtaining services over a computer network. Such devices currently include wireless personal communications services (“PCS”) telephones with microbrowsers, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”) with wireless web (e.g. wireless modem) interfaces, and mobile personal computers (e.g. laptop computers) with wireless access. Some of these devices are “built in” to a vehicle, such as an in-dash system, while others are “man portable” such as handheld PDAs, cell phones, and laptop computers. As technology evolves, the distinction between these devices is expected to continue to disappear. For example, one can currently purchase a PCS telephone and add wireless web browsing service to it, although the display and sound capabilities are somewhat limited. Alternatively, one may purchase a PDA which has better sound and display capabilities, and add a wireless modem to the PDA to enable it to access web sites, as well. And, of course, for maximum display and sound capabilities, one may purchase a laptop computer and add a wireless network interface to it.
Further to this disintegration of distinctive functions and capabilities is the rapid proliferation of the latest memory and computing technology to the “low end” or handheld devices. For example, the some of the latest PDAs offered by companies such as Palm Computing, HP-Compaq, and Sharp boast processor speeds such as 233 MHz, 16 MB memory, 65000-color graphic display, and a USB interface, which matches or rivals the specifications of full-size personal computers of just a few years ago.
Additionally, many of these systems are now provide location or global positioning functions, which allow the software running on the systems to determine the location or position of the system (and user). Such available technologies include cell-tower triangulation which is available in many PCS telephone, the Federal Communications Commission's enhanced 911 (“E911”) technology, the Global Positioning System (“GPS”), as well as other older or proprietary technologies (e.g. LORAN-C, etc.) Add-in cards for personal computers and PDA's can provide these location functions, while mobile telephones tend to be manufactured or configured for this function prior to delivery to a client, presently. Other short range or “micro-cell” technologies such as BlueTooth make “regional” services available, as well, such as when a suitably equipped device is within range of another similarly equipped device (e.g. near a vending machine, ATM, ticket dispenser, etc.).
Coupling the location functionality of a wireless access device to the other software functions of the device such as web browsing, messaging, etc., many location-based services (“LBS”) are enabled. Such services include, but are not limited to, automatically mapping routes for travelers, finding hotel or restaurant reservations, inspecting travel options (e.g. train or plane schedules) and purchasing tickets, etc. The software running on the device may collaborate with servers on the network for such services, transmitting location information with need requirements, and receiving options for the user to review and select.
In the related patent application, such an example of a service for a mobile system was disclosed in which an in-vehicle information system (“IVIS”) was provided which could coordinate the solicitation of bids for a needed repair service in advance of the vehicle arriving at a destination according to a travel itinerary. In an arrangement which will be reviewed in more detail in the following paragraph, multiple provider servers respond to a single request for fulfillment of a need for a business transaction such as a car repair. The bids received in response are processed by another server, and transmitted to the IVIS for review and selection by the vehicle's operator. Using the invention disclosed in the related patent application, a vehicle operator could obtain competitive pricing for service, and the “winning” provider could coordinate the availability of spare parts (e.g. materials), a suitable shop bay (e.g. facilities) and a repair technician (e.g. personnel). In a broader sense, the invention allow for anticipatory brokering for services and products with materials and resource planning (“MRP”) and supply chain management (“SCM”) or enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) for user's of mobile access devices.
Many of these mobile access devices, however, are provided “connection” or data services on a metered basis rather than a flat-rate basis, unlike the older, flat-rate model which applies to most stationary access devices. For example, a personal computer on a desktop may be provided with access to the Internet via a dial-up model and telephone line or a dedicated data link (e.g. T1 or T3) supplied by a data services company or a telephone company. The costs of these services are usually set as a fixed rate per month, hour, etc., regardless of the amount of usage of the data bandwidth. For example, a T1 line carries 1.5 MBits/sec bidirectionally. If an enterprise subscribes to a T1 service for data communications, the service provider will charge the enterprise a flat rate per month regardless of how much “real” data is actually transmitted or received over the T1 line during the month-long period.
As such, in a flat-rate paradigm, users are encouraged to access web sites, send data, transmit e-mails with large attachments, etc., because there is no penalty or premium for doing so. Most of the companies which offer such flat rate models recoup the costs through other means such as advertising to the users.
In a metered access arrangement, however, the user or subscriber may be charged a base rate, such as a monthly access charge, plus an amount related to actual usage. For example, many long distance calling plans require payment of a small monthly fee plus a few cents per minute of actual usage. In some plans, a certain amount of usage may be allowed within the base rate, beyond which a metered formula applies (e.g. per minute or per megabyte, etc.). Utilities such as electricity, natural gas and water are some of the oldest services and products which are provided on a metered basis. More modern examples of metered service providers include some Internet Service Providers (“ISP”), for example, which offer a lower monthly rate than flat-rate providers, which includes a few hours access per month, above which an hourly charge applies.
In metered service paradigms, the client or customer bears the cost of usage, and thus becomes aware and sensitive to usage amount. Each customer develops an intangible threshold value of what services or activities are “worth” the cost to use based upon the service and the metering plan. For example, most PCS telephone services are provided with a base rate which includes a base “block” of minutes access, such as $29.99 for 100 minutes nationwide calling. Additional minutes may be available for 10 cents per minute. Further, there may be a $1.50 initial set up charge for establishing a wireless web browsing session, followed by consumption of “minutes” either from the base block, if available, or at the per-minute charge.
In such a situation, the user becomes more sensitive to “useless” web content which takes noticeable time to download and execute on the wireless access device. A web site which is graphically rich with bitmap images, animated images, sound and video clips may be very appealing to users who access it through a flat-rate plan, but for those users accessing it through a metered plan, the site may represent unnecessary waste of “minutes” and unnecessary cost. The users of the latter type, then, may prefer and gravitate towards “bare bones” or text-only web sites because they can be accessed more quickly and less expensively.
This cost model is expected to continue to be a barrier to the widespread use of wireless web services, including those provided to mobile systems such as the system described in the related patent application. In some situations, the providers of services may be interested in participating in a cost-sharing arrangement with the users or clients to offset the users' costs to access and use the providers' web sites and services. However, there is currently no method available to perform such cost sharing or cost offsetting.
Additionally, if there were a cost sharing arrangement, users may become concerned that the information obtained by the provider regarding the user's activities may allow the provider to create a broader profile of the user. For example, most credit cards such as VISA or MasterCard are cost sharing arrangements. When a credit card holder pays for a service or product with a credit card, the retailer (not the card holder) or service provider is typically charged a fee based upon the purchase price, often in the range of 2% to 6% of the purchase price. While the card holder does not see a fee for use of the card (e.g. the card appears to be free to use), the retailer receives only a portion of the actual sale price (sale price less the handling fee).
While this arrangement allows a card holder to mentally justify the use of the card in lieu of a cash payment because there is no penalty or premium for using the card, it also provides a detailed record of the card holder's purchases, which is available to the retailer and the company which issued the credit card. This information turns out to be very valuable information which can be used to generate personal profiles for each card holder with respect to their buying habits, brand preferences, disposable income, etc. Further, the data can be summed, averaged, sorted and otherwise analyzed on a larger basis to develop highly accurate demographic data.
For example, purchases for all persons who bought steak at a grocery store could be analyzed to see what beverage (e.g. beer, wine, tea, coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc.) is the most common purchased at the same time, implying which type and brand of beverage is the most popular to consume with steak. The same analysis could be performed with respect to purchases of hamburger meat, patties, or hot dogs, as well as other types of purchases such as clothing accessories, automobile products, computer products, housewares, etc.
This type of actual purchase information can yield much more useful and accurate insight into consumer behavior and preferences than traditional focus groups and marketing surveys. Consumers, however, are becoming much more savvy with respect to such seemingly “free” services, having been exposed to inundating blitzes of junk mail, both in the real world and online, as well as alarmingly well targeted telemarketing. As such, new services and products offered under cost-sharing plans are received cautiously and doubtfully unless privacy can be assured.
Therefore, there is a corresponding need in the art for a technology to provide anonymous session tracking which can support cost and revenue sharing without compromising personal privacy or exposing user habits and patterns to suppliers and vendors who may violate the trust of the clients.